A Walk in the Rain
by Legacy of I
Summary: As Goku takes a walk in the rain he reminisces and tries to come to terms with the past several years. Sure he managed to save the world, but it cost him his friends and family. Will a newfound friend help him cope? Or will the once happy go lucky saiyan forever live in pain and sorrow? Could he have done something differently?
1. Chapter 1

**_Hello Everyone! Thanks for checking out my new story, I really appreciate it!_** **** ** _This time around I've gotten the hang of things, so I wanted to let you know that my chapters won't be added as fast as Kakarot: The Second Prince._** **** ** _I'm really going to do this with as much quality as I possibly can, so don't worry if it takes me a bit to update._** **** ** _As always comments or questions are very much appreciated, so go ahead and drop a review!_** **** ** _Enjoy!_**

 ** _A Walk in the Rain_**

 **** ** _Chapter 1_** ****

The last rays of daylight were hidden behind the looming storm clouds. The sky was painted grey and the clouds were colorless, grey with rain and lightning. A strong storm was blowing in, bringing anticipation to the wary citizens of Amenbo Island. While parents were shielding their children from the ominous winds or the elderly were lighting their fireplaces for the cold and wet night, one man continued his walk down the road. As he walked in the street he gave a shiver now and then as the wind nipped at his face. Where was going? He himself didn't know the answer; he was simply taking a walk in the rain and reminiscing about the past. His name is Son Goku.

The saiyan was wearing a black and grey hoodie, underneath it was his old weighted training gear. His umbrella was as blue as the age old Gi under his sweatshirt, and his hair was unaffected by increasing drops of rain. As Goku looked around him he noticed the finely kept grass of the many yards that lined the sidewalk. He was walking in a subdivision, his subdivision. After the incident with Cell and the effect it had afterwards, the saiyan decided to move into a cozy house at the end of a cul-de-sac (Paid for by the Brief's) where he could settle down and adapt to normal life. Without Gohan or Chi Chi he found himself struggling to train, and after a while he stopped completely. His purpose in life was unknown.

Goku continued on down the street, beautiful houses lined each side giving it a homely feel. The residents of Amenbo Island did a remarkable job of recovering after the android incident. The atmosphere invoked memories that resided not in the saiyans head, but in his soul. His pace slowed down and his eyes wandered downward as he watched his feet take step after step; the continuous motion reminding him of his life for the last several years. Could he have done something differently? _Should_ he have done something differently?

 ** _Then_**

"Daddy…" The eleven year old boy painfully spoke, pushing his broken ribs deeper into his lungs. His father had put so much faith in him…

"Goku you have to put an end to this!" Piccolo cried, looking the shocked saiyan in the eyes. He found no response.

"You're not going to stop him!? He's only eleven Goku! He's your son!"

Goku, for the first time, was frozen in fear; his body and mind unable to move. His friends around him were shouting and his son was crying out, but nothing seemed to move him. Where did he go wrong? He knew the power was in Gohan, but why wasn't it coming out?

"I don't know what power you saw in him Goku, but he's not releasing it! Your son is not a fighter! Gohan is not a killer!" Tears filled the eyes of the boy's original teacher. Piccolo had grown very fond of Gohan, he was like a son. He couldn't just watch anymore.

"Damn it Goku! You may be ok with your son's death, but I'm not!" The namekian grunted as he charged off to the fight.

Cell was holding Gohan up by the throat, delivering torturous blows to his stomach. The boy tried not to give in, but death began to seem like a relief. His ribs were puncturing his lungs and his body was crippled, but it was nothing compared to the emotional pain he suffered from. His father had trusted him to beat this monster and he let him down. Once again he was unable to save his family or friends.

The rest of the Z fighters followed Piccolo's lead, each one unable to bear the sight or sound of Gohan's torture. Even Vegeta, after a moment of hesitation, jumped in to help. Noticing the oncoming group, Cell dropped Gohan and turned to face them with an evil grin.

"Well well! Coming to save the day are you?" the monster mocked.

Each of the fighters landed in front of him, forming a line. First was Piccolo, and then to his left was Krillin, Tien, Yamcha, Trunks and Vegeta; each one willing to risk their lives to save the boy and the world.

"What's this? Six to one? That's unfair. This is a tournament, not a battle royal remember?"

Piccolo grunted and spat on the ground, disgusted at the never ending mocking. It was time to end this.

"Piccolo…." Gohan softly said as he reached for his friend. Cell smirked and lifted his leg to crush the arm of the boy. With a loud cry and scream Gohan's arm was broken between the hard ground and a metal foot.

"You bastard!" Piccolo screamed as he charged forward. Tears rolled off his cheek and dissipated in the wind as he closed in on the evil being that stood before him. There was no way he would let this suffering go on any longer. Cell stood motionless, dodging the namekian's attack at the last minute. As he whipped around, the bio-android grabbed both Piccolos' arms and dug his knee into his back. Piccolo was unable to move.

"Gah! Y-you monster!" The green ally mumbled as he tried to free himself from the painful lock. His arms were bound and a knee deep in his back prevented much movement.

"Monster? Is that what you think I am? Ha! No, what you see before you is perfection!"

Cell pushed his knee even deeper, resulting in a loud crack. Piccolo gave one huge gasp as he was released and flung next to his student. For a moment, their eyes meet.

"Piccolo…" Gohan tried to speak, but he was too weary.

"G-Gohan…" Piccolo managed to get out before his irises faded away. There was no way he would have survived a severed spine.

"Piccolo!" Krillin screamed as he watched his friend die. Even though he was no match, he charged Cell anyway. The nightmarish foe smirked and swung at the new challenger, but to his surprise he only swatted air. Krillin had disappeared and reappeared behind him, delivering a blow to Cell's neck. His hand was met with a hard and unmovable substance. The attack was futile.

"Hmph. Nice try, but with an attack like I can already tell you're not even worth fighting."

Cell grabbed Krillin's arm and swung him over his head. The Earthling hit the ground with a loud thud, spraying dirt into the air. As Krillin opened his eyes from the impact he saw a large Ki blast held steadily at his face. He knew it was over.

"No, Krillin!" Yamcha shouted as he rushed over to save his friend, but he was too late. A loud bang and an explosion of energy stopped him in his tracks. Cell had blown his short bald friend to pieces.

"Krillin!" He shouted as he dropped to his knees. Why did they all have to watch their friends die? Why was no one unable to stop Cell? As he looked up with tears in his eyes he noticed Goku on his hands and knees, still in the same place. The saiyan was clearly in pain, but he was more than able to fight. Before anything could be said or done, Cell disappeared into thin air, reappearing with his hand through Yamcha's heart. The Earthling coughed up blood as his hands fell limp at his sides. The monster took yet another victim.

 _I-I let everyone down…_ Gohan thought to himself as he watched his friends perish. _W-why do I have to be so useless. Why do I have to be such a disappointment?_

Piccolo, Krillin, and now Yamcha were dead. The only fighters left were Tien, Trunks and Vegeta. Cell gave a big smile as he soaked in the pure psychopathic chaos. He began getting carried away.

"My! These games are turning out much better than I anticipated! Is anyone else having as much fun as I am?"

Tien, Vegeta and Trunks glanced down at the three dead bodies. No one stood a chance. If Goku couldn't beat him no one could. Even Vegeta, all though he would never admit it, saw the gap between his and Cell's power.

Goku stood to his feet and clenched his fists, blood seeping through his fingers. Tears clouded his eyes as his aura began to glow. He slowly began to walk over to Cell, a fury beyond livid was brewing behind the saiyans eyes. He had finally got ahold of himself.

"D-dad…"

 ** _Now_**

The rain had let up a bit but it was still coming down at a steady pace. Tears rolled down Goku's cheeks as sorrow and regret filled his heart. He knew there was nothing he could have done differently; they were all outclassed by Cell. But still… He froze up, he let his friends die. Goku glanced up to see where he had wandered, his mind still floating in the past. His footsteps came to a pause as he looked at what lay ahead. A small stone path wound ahead and curved off out of sight. The path wove between a big grass filled park that was speckled with fallen leaves of red, orange, and yellow. The wind picked up and rustled the leaves of the autumn trees while the spread out park lamps lightly lit the path that was bathed in the night. The saiyan sighed and wiped his eyes before proceeding into the park with a heavy heart.

Not long after crossing over from the subdivision street Goku saw a park bench in the distance, he figured he would stop there.

The saiyan sat down and closed his umbrella, setting it next to his side. The tree canopy that hung above his head provided shelter from the rain while allowing a small amount to fall on his head. With a heavy sigh Goku took in the scenery and began to remember his family. As he looked in front of him and saw the green grass he remembered how Gohan liked to play and chase birds. The saiyan smiled as he remembered back to when he rescued the boy from going over a waterfall when he was four and a half years old.

"Gohan…"

Goku looked up and closed his eyes, allowing the rain that escaped through the canopy to wet his face. The wind blew some more, moving around the grounded leaves; it was dark but peaceful at the same time.

"Excuse me." A voice spoke.

Goku opened his eyes and found a man in front of him. He had a small amount of grey hair on his head and a full bushy grey moustache. The man wore a plain white tee shirt and jeans. With no umbrella in sight the saiyan was surprised to see him dry.

"May I sit?" He motioned to the bench.

"Sure."

The man smiled and slowly sat down next to Goku, holding his back all the way down.

"Old age, it can get the best of you." The man chuckled. "I can remember when I was young, when I could sit down with ease." Again a deep reminiscent chuckle arouse from his voice.

"Back then I took a lot for granted. Now I wish I could just move like I use too." The saiyans new companion looked him over and nodded.

"You have more to you than meets the eye son."

Goku looked over and furled his brow. He had just met the guy.

"What do you mean?"

The older aged man gave a smile of fondness. "I mean you have a lot of baggage and regrets. You have a lot to figure out am I right?"

Goku's eyes grew with surprise. "How did you-"

"I use to see it every day when I looked in the mirror, I know that look."

The saiyan sighed and bowed his head, staring at his shoes. The man was right; he had a lot to come to terms with.

"I don't have any plans at the moment." The man said as he shifted into a more comfortable position. "I'm listening if you need to get it off your chest."

Goku looked back up and slowly nodded. He couldn't keep suppressing the pain inside; he had to come to terms one way or another.

"You wouldn't believe me…" Goku doubted, the feeling of loss brewing in his soul.

The man smiled and gave a wave of his hand.

"Try me."


	2. The Demons We Hold Inside

**_Hello everyone! I hope you enjoy chapter 2!_**

 ** _sunshineyday: Thank you very much! I'm very glad you like it! I do hope to satisfy you with each chapter. I hope to bring a curiosity to the readers that make them wonder if Goku is coming to terms, or if his guilt has consumed him beyond return._** **** ** _As far as "The man" you'll have to wait and find out ;-)_**

 ** _XxTerroKing23xX: Thank you! I'm glad you think that Goku is as he should be; it really makes me glad to hear that my writing is on point. As far as your Abandoned Memories fanfiction, I'm going to start to read it and do the best I can to give constructive and encouraging criticism when I get the chance :-)_**

 ** _BringingYaoiBack: I'm glad you like it XD I defiantly plan on writing more, and I sincerely hope my future chapters don't disappoint you :-)_**

 **** ** _Chapter 2_**

 ** _Then_**

The environment where the Cell Games were hosted was in ruins. Craters and broken debris lay scattered around along with the stone that made up the arena. As the wind picked up, it carried with it the dust and loose dirt, periodically creating a dust devil. It was over. Goku was on his knees clutching the body of his dead son, hugging him close and whispering his regrets. Among the debris of the battle lay the bodies of his fellow comrades. Piccolo, Krillin, Yamcha and Tien were killed off easy and fast, giving Cell the murderous pleasures he craved. But after them… he got bored. Vegeta and Trunks put up a hell of a fight, but even they eventually fell to the tyrant's power. What hurt Goku the most was not just the fact that they perished despite him finally helping; it was that Cell took his time to torture and kill them, dissatisfied with the quick deaths of the others. That included his son.

"Gohan…" Goku spoke as his head was buried into the boy's body. "I'm so sorry…"

No matter how much he fought, the saiyan couldn't help but release the waterfall of tears. His son had cried out to him, needed him, and he froze. By the time he joined in the fight it was too late.

"Damn it!" Goku screamed as he punched the ground with all his force, resulting in a large hole and bloody knuckles. He knew, deep down, part of the reason he froze. He was earth raised, but he could never fully cleanse himself of saiyan emotion. He knew that part of what kept him from helping, what froze him, was the same thing that drove love and compassion out of Vegeta's life.

Pride…

How could he have been wrong?

"I shouldn't h-have…" Goku tried to speak, his throat choking up with emotion.

Even though the light hearted saiyan was the polar opposite of Vegeta, he still had his demons.

"It's m-my fault Gohan… N-not yours…" As a father he could only imagine the last thoughts of his son as he watched his Dad stand by and let a monster kill him:

 _Why am I such a disappointment?_

"I'm proud of you son…" he whispered as he gently laid the body back down, emotions racing through his heart and soul.

Goku was hurting, but the last thing Cell said to him drove the steak in even farther…

 _"_ _Goku, I really did have fun this afternoon." Cell smirked as he motioned to all of the dead bodies._

 _"_ _You're the last one standing: the coward. I'm disappointed in you Goku, letting a little kid fight your battles…_ _So to teach you a lesson here is what I'll do._ _I'm going to track down the little 'lookout' that is so precious to you and kill everyone one on it, nice and slow like your son._ _Then I'll have my fun with Earth, and when I'm bored I'll leave._ _Simple as that."_

 _Goku looked up and shook his head._ _"_ _Why not just destroy it?"_

 _Cell gave a wicked laugh and delivered the final blow to Goku, the blow that broke him._

 _"_ _Because Goku, when I'm done I'll leave Earth alone so that you can witness every day the mistake you made and the hurt you caused. To me that is more enjoyable than quick destruction._ _Mark my words, I'll torture this planet, but I'll leave it in tact to where you can live amongst the victims of your mistake."_

 _The Bio-android gave one last sinister look, one last psychopathic, sadistic, pure evil look that went straight to the soft saiyans soul, leaving a scar._

 _"_ _You're a true monster…" Goku spoke softly. As excepted, his enemy only laughed._

 _"_ _Am I now? Or are you, Goku?"_

Goku stood up and looked around him, the wind blowing the remaining tears off his cheek. Cell was right, this was his mistake. His friends and his son were dead because of him. He had failed them.

As the saiyan took a deep breath and gathered his thoughts a sudden shock arouse in his gut, a feeling of despair and anxiety.

"Chi Chi…"

He couldn't lose her too…

 ** _Now_**

The wind gave another bone chilling gust as the trees rustled above. The rain was slowing down to a light downfall and the temperature dropped a slight amount.

"Chi Chi… now is that your wife, sister, or daughter?" the old man asked, giving a small cough after the question.

Goku gave a hint of a smile as he thought about her in a different light. "She's um… She's my wife… _was_ my wife…" he said with both sorrow and happy memories.

The old man adjusted his position and looked at the lost person that sat before him; a man who had lost everything and couldn't even bring himself to stop gazing at the ground.

"Did this Cell kill her too?"

Goku looked up and slowly shook his head, avoiding any eye contact.

"No… she um… she left after I came home…" he trailed off to avoid a more direct answer.

"Ah, so she couldn't bear the thought of you letting your son die?"

The saiyan looked back to the mysterious man, he was glad to have his company, but it was painful to relive these broken memories, to bring his demons to light.

"Yeah, something like that."

The man nodded and slowly stood up, his old age showing though his actions. As Goku watched he was fighting the feeling of asking the man to stay, but as he stretched and appeared to want to leave Goku decided not to say anything.

"Why don't we take a walk?" the old man suggested. Goku nodded and gave a sigh of both relief and anticipation as he joined his new companion.

The two of them slowly walked side by side down the winding path. The green grass rippled in the wind and the leaves stirred around them. The trees bent and swayed and seemed to be talking to them in an ancient language. The park lamps that sparsely lined the path lit up sections, leaving the path lit more in some areas and almost dark in others. In the daytime the park was a lively place that Goku and Chi Chi would have taken their son to play, but at night… It was a dark place that hid the sins of the guilty.

As they walked next to each other they neglected to open any umbrellas, letting the soft rain fall on their heads. To the old man's amusement, Goku's hair never changed or sagged from getting wet.

"What else is bothering you?" The man asked with compassion. "I'm not trying to make light of your past, but I have a feeling that there is more to tell."

Goku, again, gazed to the ground and tucked his hands in his jacket pockets. "Well, I don't want to bother you…"

The man shrugged his shoulders and came to a pause. "You don't have to tell me, but I think it would make you feel better."

Goku walked a few steps more before stopping, slowly turning around to meet eyes of this man. He could just burry it like he always did and carry on with his life, but as he looked at the soft eyes of the old man he began to feel a loss, to feel the chance of redemption slipping away, he began to feel the darkness saying to him: "Welcome to your grave." The man nodded and gave a wave, walking down the quaint path. Goku fought tears as he watched the first friend he had in years leave.

Could he have done something differently?

Goku spoke, he wanted to feel better. He wanted his life back.

With a small smile the old man turned back around and joined his hurting friend as they continued on their way.

 ** _Then_**

The frantic saiyan was flying as fast as he could, trying to make it back to his home. Cell had left several hours ago, and he could feel the androids energy in the direction he was heading.

"Chi Chi…" He spoke as he pushed his speed even farther, but about half way home he came to a dead stop, giving a sigh of relief.

"Instant Transmission, I almost forgot." Goku put two shaking fingers to his forehead and tried to focus on Chi Chi's energy, it took him longer than usual but he found it, vanishing into the wind…

 ** _Now_**

"Wait a minute." The old man interrupted, Goku hadn't gotten far yet. "What is this Instant Transmission?"

Goku gave a very faint hearted and small chuckle, the closest thing to a laugh he had in years.

"It's complicated. But in short I can sense a person's energy and instantly teleport there. I learned it on planet Yardrat after…beating…Freiza…" Goku trailed off after realizing how crazy it all sounded, barley even finishing the sentence.

"Kids these days!" The old man teased. "All kinds of craziness. I remember when I had to walk to school uphill, in the snow, both ways!" The man waved his hand, dismissing his memory.

"N-never mind. Continue on." He said with a smile

Goku nodded and gave a shiver at the nipping wind.

 ** _Then_**

"Chi Chi! CHI CHI!" Goku cried as he arrived at their door step, he burst through the front door to find her crying on the floor.

"Chi Chi what's wrong?" He asked with concern and anxiety. She only looked up and slapped him with the dish rag she was holding.

"Is it true Goku!? Did you let our son die!" she yelled at him.

"W-what?" Goku stuttered.

"Don't lie to me Son Goku! The monster you were fighting showed up at our door, our HOME GOKU! He told me all about it, how you let him torture our baby, and watched him die! How could you! What kind of father are you?" she cried between gasps of breath and tears of loss. Goku looked away as he fought another set of tears; to hear his failure from Cell was one thing, but confirmation from his wife hurt the most.

"Chi Chi… I-" he paused, unable to find the right words to say. What could he say?

"That's it?" She asked in frustration as she pushed away and stood up, her face red from crying.

"You're going to come home and look at me and say nothing?" her tone changing from despair to anger.

"Our baby is dead because of you, and you have nothing to say for yourself?" she bit her inner cheek in frustration as she threw the dish towel to the ground, walking into the other room for a moment. She reappeared with Goku's training clothes in her arms.

"Here!" his angry wife yelled as she threw the gear at him. "This is all you ever cared about! Not me! Not your son! Just stupid training! So take it! Leave!" She finished as she broke down again. Her son was gone and she couldn't bear to look at her husband.

Goku stood up and tried to reason with her, tried to tell her his side of the story but she was unwilling to listen.

"The things that monster said to me… what he said he would do to us, to this world. Its sick Goku, and you stood by and did nothing. He came by and said he killed Piccolo and all your friends. He looked me in the eyes Goku and said that he destroyed any chance of reviving our baby with the dragon balls. He's gone forever." Chi Chi paused for a moment to wipe her eyes.

"All I wanted was a normal life, a life with you and Gohan. A life on this hill where we lived in peace and our son grew up with an education, but no… You had to push him to train, to fight this fight… your fight. Did you know he came to me? He was unsure whether he even wanted to fight! But he didn't want to let you down Goku… He wanted to make you proud…"

She gave one last look to her beloved Goku as she left the house. The saiyan shouted after her to give him a chance to explain, to tell her it was going to be alright, but it was all in vain.

That was the last time he ever saw his beloved wife…


	3. The Hurt and the Healer

**_Hello everyone! I present to you the next chapter!_** **** ** _Hope you enjoy! I just want to say thank you to everyone who reviews and lets me know what they think, I truly appreciate it!_**

 ** _McChia: Thank you so much! I'm very happy you're enjoying my story!_** **** ** _As far as the confusion goes, I'm sincerely sorry if it was a bit confusing at first, I'll try to keep a clearer view :-) As far as Cell and Chi Chi go, I have it all planned out so you'll have to wait and see ;-)_**

 ** _BringingYaoiBack: Yes, it is a lot to unload on a stranger :-) Goku is saying all this to him because he's been suppressing it for years. As far as the Cell games, Cell himself, and if people know about the events that unfolded… You'll have to wait and find out_**

 ** _;-)_**

 ** _Chichiken: I'm really glad you like it! I hope to satisfy you with the chapters to come :-)_**

 ** _XxTerroKing23xX: Thank you very much!_** **** ** _I'm super glad you felt Goku, not just read about his emotions :-)_** **** ** _As far as the spelling mistakes go, I sincerely apologize._** **** ** _I reread the chapter I'm writing several times a day until I'm finished._** **** ** _I do my best to provide correct spelling, but I have to admit I do much better at physics than spelling_**

 ** _:-) As far as Cell goes, I completely understand your point of view, in fact, I had it myself._** **** ** _I decided to write this side of Cell to introduce a more evil and psychopathic version of himself for both exploration and to add to the darkness of my story, but, you'll see how I touch on what you were saying in this chapter._** **** ** _Thank you for your encouraging criticism; it truly helps me strive to be a better writer :-)_**

 **** ** _Chapter 3_**

 ** _Now_**

The hurt and the healer strode next to each other for a while in silence. Goku still had his hands tucked in his pockets as he kept his eyes downcast. The man, not knowing when Goku was going to talk again, smiled and looked around them as they continued on. Talking made Goku hurt more than just thinking and suppressing his feelings, but somehow it made him feel better.

"Why do you care?" Goku asked softly.

The old man looked to him with a furled brow. "What's that?"

Goku looked up to him and made eye contact for a few seconds before reverting back to the stone path.

"I mean why are you listening?"

The old man gave an aged chuckle that sounded sympathetic. "Because my boy, I know what it's like to be you, to be in your shoes I mean. I'm not young, and I've had my share of 'grave walking.'"

Goku looked up at him with a curious look, unsure about his reference. "Grave walking?"

"Yes, grave walking." The man confirmed. "Where your alive, but inside your dead. The time you're walking on your grave, when your life has no point or meaning anymore."

Goku nodded, he completely related.

"One thing does have me curious." The man spoke. "These Cell games, I think I've heard of them before. You'll have to forgive me son, I live out in the middle of nowhere so I'm out of the 'modern loop.'"

Goku gave a faint smile, the man reminded him of his grandpa; secluded from society yet so caring.

"Yeah, everyone thought it was the end of the world." Goku replied, thinking back several years. "It was being broadcasted… but if I remember right, the cameras were broken at some point."

The old man gave a slow nod as he began to understand.

"Mr. Satan." Goku continued. "He went back and claimed victory over Cell after watching the monster fly away. I suppose he thought that Cell had run away."

"But that wasn't the case?" The man inquired, having a hunch of his own.

"No…" Goku shook his head slowly as tears rose in his eyes. He was able to keep it in this time. "No, Cell kept good on his promise… It wasn't long before he began to terrorize the Earth. Not long after word got out, people rebuked Mr. Satan as a fraud."

The old man gave another nod as the pieces started to fit together.

The wind was softly but constantly blowing, chilling the two from time to time. The rain was no more than a sprinkle now, drizzling and misting them as they walked on. Goku looked up for some time, gazing at the stars. They reminded him of Namek and Gohan. Why had he stayed there to fight Freiza? Why was it so important to him at the time, so important that he risked losing his life with his family and friends?

"Your wife…" The man spoke, interrupting the saiyans thoughts. "Did you follow her? Did you find her and make things right?"

Goku looked down from gazing at the stars and clenched his fists. This time he couldn't keep the tears back; he even let out a few sobs. That was the most painful demon he had to bear.

"I see…" The man concluded, it was obvious that it would take some time before that was an approachable subject.

"Well… why don't you continue where you left off, after your wife ran out. What happened next?"

Goku kept his fists clenched for a bit longer before finally releasing them. With his hands free he wiped away the tears and rubbed his eyes.

"O-ok…"

 ** _Then_**

The saiyan had taken a seat at their dining table, burying his head in his folded arms for a while. How had it come to this? He saw the power in Gohan; he saw it in the hyperbolic time chamber. There was one thing he had overlooked, one thing that he had too easily dismissed:

Gohan was not like him or Vegeta… He wasn't a fighter.

With his son dead and his wife's dreams' shattered, Goku felt like a complete failure. And with Cell out terrorizing the world, he didn't even feel like he saved anyone, no one except himself. His depression was slowly convincing him of never getting up, to sit here the rest of his life. After all, that's what he deserved… right?

The weariness of fighting and crying began to set in as the saiyans eyes slowly drooped. He couldn't fall asleep, not after what happened. But the fatigue was heavy and he was weary. As he slowly drifted off his mind wandered to the fight and what Cell had said. Then, in an instant, Goku snapped and jumped up, shoving the chair to the wall and almost breaking the table.

"The Lookout!"

 ** _Now_**

"The lookout?" Goku's companion questioned.

Goku nodded and looked to the sky as he remembered the floating headquarters. It had been a special place to him since he was a kid.

"It's um… It's kind of hard to explain…" Goku replied, unsure how to describe the place. He could just say that it was a palace that supernaturally balanced on a pole too small to hold it, and that it was where the guardian of the Earth resided… But that sounded ridiculous.

The man just looked at him with a curious smile.

"The lookout…" Goku began. "It's where I meet with all my friends… I mean, where I use to meet with them…" He gave a small sigh, hoping that the answer would satisfy the old man.

"That makes sense." The man confirmed. He could tell Goku was holding back, but it didn't really matter. As long as he could come to terms with his past, that's all that mattered; as long as he decided to quit grave walking.

"Carry on."

 ** _Then_**

The frantic saiyan was approaching the lookout at top speed. He had tried to use instant transmission, but a horrible gut feeling arose in his stomach.

He couldn't sense anyone.

 _I'm almost there guys… Hang on!_

Goku, despite all that had happened, never lost his super saiyan state. Because of that he was able to reach it faster that he had hoped. When the long pole was in sight the saiyan sharply flew up, heading straight for the atmosphere. It wasn't long before he touched down on the smooth stone surface of the lookout.

"Dende! Mr. Popo!" Goku yelled as he sprinted to the "Palace". Everything seemed normal. The palms were all in a row with the grass cut, and the flowers were well tended. Even though Goku knew that didn't mean anything, he desperately needed a ray of hope. He needed something to hold on to.

What he came across was straight out of his worst nightmare.

The sorrowful saiyan came to a dead stop as soon as he entered the room. For a few moments he was in too much shock to do anything, but as it faded away into hurt he fell to his knees and buried his head in his hands; slowly rocking back and forth. Before him lay all of his friends, all of them in a straight row: Piccolo, Yamcha, Tien, Vegeta, Trunks, Dende, Mr. Popo, and finally Gohan (Krillin was blown up). They were laid with their hand folded over their chests, and below the line of bodies was a phrase written in their blood:

 _There is no rest for the weary_

Goku couldn't bear to look. He would have walked away to vomit if it weren't for the next thing he heard: the infamous sound of mechanical footsteps slowly creaking and clanking its way into the room.

"Ah Goku, so you found my masterpiece! What do you think? Personally I think it reflects its creator… Complete perfection!"

Cell gave a wicked, almost hysterical, laugh. He started and was almost unable to stop laughing. The android walked over to Goku and put his hand on his shoulder.

"I know Goku. Art has a way of… touching ones soul. I'm happy that mine is able to reach into yours…"

Cell observed the saiyan in front of him. Goku was neither smiling, frowning, crying, or showing any signs of pain anymore. He simply sat on his knees and stared.

"Interesting… So Goku, Are you ready?"

The saiyan just looked up with no reply.

"Ah yes. So you are. You see, all this is planned; every little meticulous detail. Ever since you asked your son to fight…"

Goku stared, his eyes more furious than before.

"You see Goku." Cell began. "I knew I could break you, I knew there was more to you than just our little fight back at the arena. So I decided to hatch a plan. I would kill all your friends and terrorize the Earth a little bit to make you feel pathetic and unworthy. By the way I set a personal record! Ten cities an hour!" The android chuckled in self-glory. "I even decided to add a little extra by visiting your wife!"

Cell gave a smile of victory before carrying on.

"I knew I couldn't test out my full powers on anyone here except you, so I had to do this to bring out your latent power. At the very end of all this Goku, I needed you to snap and fight for real, to take me seriously!"

Goku stood up and faced Cell, fury burning inside his heart.

"Then why did you say you would leave Earth after terrorizing it? Why did you say you would make me live amongst the victims of my mistake?"

Again Cell gave a wicked snicker.

"Because Goku, I AM PERFECTION! Even when you wake your sleeping powers, I know I'll still defeat you. At the end of the day you're still nothing. When I defeat you I won't kill you, knowing your helpless is good enough. What will be the cherry on the top of my victory is your misery here on Earth, knowing you couldn't protect it; living amongst the families who lost everything."

After Cell finished his victory speech he folded his arms and looked at Goku with pure pride and superiority. The android believed he had won.

Goku look at him with rage. He had kept all his emotions inside during the lengthy explanation, and now he was ready. He was going to use the demons he held inside to right his wrongs.

"No Cell…" Goku spoke in a low, deep and wrathful tone. "You're wrong. You're dead wrong!"

The saiyan let out an ear bursting scream as all his emotions flew out of him; hurt, sorrow, regret, pain, worthlessness, and loss. All these he channeled into power. His already golden hair grew even more erect and defined and his eyes flashed with vengeance. As he grunted and screamed a lightning aura began flickering around his body as if his entire being was ready for redemption. He was ready.

He had ascended.


	4. Fallen Angles and Sinners

**_Hello my friends!_** **** ** _I present to you the next chapter!_** **** ** _Enjoy!_**

 ** _Chichiken:_** **** ** _I'm glad you're excited for the next chapter!_** **** ** _I hope you enjoy it as well as the last chapters!_**

 ** _McChia:_** **** ** _Thank you so much!_** **** ** _I'm happy you could clearly picture and feel Goku's pain and power, as a writer that is the best thing I could hear!_** **** ** _As far as the old man,_** **** ** _I have a plan;_** **** ** _so you'll have to wait and find out_** **** ** _:-)_**

 ** _XxTerroKingxX:_** **** ** _Thank you!_** **** ** _I'm very glad you liked Cell's reasoning,_** **** ** _I hoped to show this different side of him._** **** ** _As far as the afterlife idea,_** **** ** _it's a wonderful idea!_** **** ** _But I'm not going to spoil anything,_** **** ** _all I will say is that I have the ending all thought out._** **** ** _As far as Chi Chi goes, Cell didn't line her body with the rest which means he might not have killed her, then again, he might have._** **** ** _You'll have to wait and see!_**

 ** _sunshineyday:_** **** ** _Thanks!_** **** ** _I have Chi Chi planned out, so I hope you'll be satisfied!_**

 ** _ShappycowMcSkittles:_** **** ** _Thank you very much!_** **** ** _I would also like to say I really enjoy your new fanfiction too!_**

 ** _Chapter 4_**

 ** _Now_**

The newfound friends had been walking for some time before reaching a quaint and cozy bridge. The crossing sat over a small creek that ran under it, creating a tranquil and cleansing sound. The bridge itself was made of oak wood that was stained brown, and at each corner was a lamp that emitted a low yellow light. The trees continued to sway as the wind picked up again, blowing the light rain around. Leaves continued to fall, either on the ground or in the creek. They came to a stop on this bridge and leaned over the flat wooden railing, gazing out into the forest. In a way, the cozy crossing represented a safe refuge that Goku could curl up in and escape the darkness around him. Not far ahead was the end of the park.

The saiyan was glad that the old man had come and sat down next to him, showing true concern. It had been a relief to explain his guilt and bring his demons to light, but it wasn't over yet. Goku still had one thing to come to terms with, he just wasn't sure if he could.

"Cell…" The man began. "You defeated him? He's dead?"

Goku looked over and nodded his head; after all that monster had done he felt no remorse in killing him.

"I see, well I ought to thank you then for saving the world." The man gave a warm smile, trying to make Goku feel better.

The saiyan bashfully turned away and stared down at the creek, it was the first time anyone had thanked him for anything in years.

"Ah, it's no big deal you know."

The old man gave a chuckle. "Yes, it's only the world, not like we need that!" he teased in a sarcastic way.

Goku looked at him and couldn't help it… he laughed. They both laughed. Goku had an actual smile on his face after so long, he felt the sensation of laughter and a small bit of joy had seeped back into his life. After the good laugh he gave a heavy sigh and stared back down into the creek.

"I think about all my friends, what they had to go through… The families Cell killed… Am I worth anything? Worth being here?"

Goku's eyes misted at the thought. Sure he managed to save the world, but it cost him his friends and family. Could he have done something differently?

"You can't change what happened, that means both the good and the bad."

Goku sniffled and looked up again. "What do you mean?"

The old man gave his warm smile and put his hand on Goku's shoulder.

"I mean you can't change your past mistakes, you have to learn to live with them… But." The man paused for a moment. "You can't change the good memories you made with your family either. No one can take that from you."

Goku smiled and nodded, he began to understand; to see things in a different light.

"But you need to face your greatest demon; you need to let it out. What's holding you back?"

The saiyan leaned over the railing and began to cry, his tears falling into the creek. The man was right. He had begun to heal, but there was one thing left to come to terms with. If he didn't he would never heal.

Goku began crying harder, trying to take breaths in-between. The old man gave a look of sadness; he could see how much Goku hurt. All he could think to do is rest his hand on the broken man's shoulder.

The saiyan's fists began to clench in anger and slowly bleed as his entire soul began to wish everything had happened different. A feeling of loss, despair, and hopelessness flooded his emotions. He could feel it all slipping through his fingers like sand, unable to save her. His soul was weeping alongside his eyes; he had never felt so alone. Why? Was all he could ask; he felt totally empty.

"C-Ch" Goku tried to speak as he sobbed. The hand on his shoulder was comforting and encouraging.

"Ch-Chi Ch- Chi Chi" he managed before grasping his hair with his hands and burying his head into his forearms. The reason it hurt him the most is because Cell didn't kill her. It wasn't the pain of watching her die by Cells hands, unable to stop him. What hurt was that Cell never killed her.

He did…

 ** _Then_**

Goku, through blind fury and anger; because of the hurt inside and his desperate plea to change all that had happened, had defeated Cell once and for all. But even though the world was finally rid of the android, Goku didn't feel a sense of victory; instead he felt even more alone. He had done it, his vengeance and goal was accomplished. Now what? Now Goku had to figure out his life, what to do. The first thing? Chi Chi…

She was on his mind the whole time, her and Gohan. After the defeat of Cell and the relief of the monster off his shoulder, Goku couldn't help but collapse on the floor in exhaustion. With heavy eyes he faded so deep into exhausted sleep that some might have said he fell unconscious. For a whole day he slept.

When the saiyans rest was up he looked around and prioritized what to do first. As he glanced over into the building on the lookout, he saw the bodies all lined up. He had made sure to fight away from the lookout to preserve his friends.

It didn't take long for Goku to gather all his friend's bodies and take them to his home. One by one he dug graves with a shovel, the proper way. When they were all dug he went into the forest that overlooked his once happy home. There he found a boulder and used his ki to carve out gravestones; engraving a name into each one. Afterward he buried each of his friends in their grave side by side like Cell had them; except he reversed the order in which Cell had laid them. It sounded silly, but by reversing the order Goku was destroying Cell's "masterpiece" and making one last blow to the android. Destroying his legacy…

When the saiyan had finished all the tiresome work he observed the results as the sun set behind his house. Next to the home that he and Chi Chi had built was the original hut that his grandpa Gohan had raised him in. In between the two and farther back sat a single tree, and under it were the gravestones. As he leaned on the shovel Goku smiled for the last time in years. His friends were at peace now and he could move on; if only it was that simple. Instead the saiyan's soul would sever and his joy would be crushed; there was one person that wouldn't find peace so easily.

 _Now to find Chi Chi…_ Goku thought to himself. _And be a family again…_

 ** _Now_**

Goku was sitting on the ground now with his back against the bridge railing. He had his head between his knees as he wept. The old man could see how much Goku hated himself, and how much he wished everything back to normal. But as he knew, and as Goku knew, that could never happen. The healer sat down across from the saiyan and looked up to the stars.

"They are one of them now." He said as he pointed up. Goku kept his head in-between his knees for a while before looking at what the man had pointed too.

"Stars…" the man spoke. "There looking down at you right now and wishing you weren't so hard on yourself." Goku kept his eyes to the sky as he watched the many stars twinkle. The ones that did, he hoped were Gohan, Chi Chi, and his friends. After his neck grew tired he looked back down and sighed.

"Each star is someone that someone lost. Your son, wife, and friends are all there too. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they formed a new constellation." The man said in a cheerful tone.

A sniffle was Goku's only reply as he buried his head again. He had to let it out before it consumed his entire being and destroyed him day by day. He had let it go on for years now… It was time to put himself at peace…

 ** _Then_**

Goku, after changing out of his training gear and slipping into something nicer, arrived at the door of Capsule Corporation. He knew that Chi Chi would have come here, and if not Bulma would know where she had gone. It had been three days since Chi Chi had left.

A few raps on the door and it opened, revealing a surprised and disappointed Bulma.

"Goku…" She spoke softly.

"Bulma… Hi. I was just… um… wondering if Chi Chi had stopped by."

The blue haired woman was holding her son in her arms as tears arose in her eyes. Shifting the baby to her other hip she wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"Why are you hear Goku?" She replied.

The saiyan looked confused. "I just said-,"

"No Goku!" she interrupted. "I mean what makes you think that you can just show up here? After what you did… After Chi Chi…" She stopped to hold her tears in, trying not to upset the baby in her arms.

"I don't understand." Goku asked half confused half distraught at why he thought she might be like this. Bulma was his lifelong friend, he had known her longer than anyone and she was always happy to see him, even after he screwed up. Why was she so upset to see him?

"Bulma I-," he tried, but it ended up like Chi Chi. He didn't know what to say, what could he say? He messed up, he knew that. After all he _had_ spent hours burying his friends and son.

"That's it Goku?" she asked angrily after a long pause. The saiyan looked down and gave a sigh.

"You come here asking for you wife, and not even a 'how are you? I know I stood by and let your boyfriend die and your son become fatherless, so I decided to check on you!" She finished with a raised voice. Goku didn't reply, again, he didn't know what to say.

"I don't understand you, I would have fought like hell to save my son and friends; yet you just stood and watched! And now because of that they are all dead and the dragon balls are gone! You're a coward Goku!" She yelled. The saiyan looked up to her as she glared at him with tear filled eyes, holding her fatherless son.

"I'm sorry Bulma…" He softly spoke, but it didn't make her feel any better.

"Sorry isn't good enough…" She rejected.

The saiyan ran his fingers through his hair as he tried to figure out what to say before Bulma lost any more patience or rationality.

"If you would just let me explain it to you and Chi Chi…" He tried, but it only upset Bulma even worse.

"Chi Chi…" Bulma spoke in a sorrowful tone. "She didn't deserve you Goku, she deserved much better. All you did was train and eat, you rarely told her you loved her, and you never raised your son. She was alone. She told me everything that happened when you came home, what Cell said. She told me all of it before…"

Bulma couldn't help it, she started to cry. Her cheeks began to flood with tears as she looked away from Goku. She couldn't hold back anymore.

"Bulma, where's Chi Chi?" Goku asked in a panicked voice.

The blue haired widow kept crying for a minute before gaining her composure.

"When she got here..." She began between sobs. "She was so upset Goku… I could barely understand her. Her eyes were red and she was distraught." Bulma paused for a bit, having a hard time continuing on. Goku sat with wide eyes trying not to cry with her.

"When she was finished… because she was so upset…"

"What Bulma!" Goku cried, loss and guilt brewing in his heart. Bulma swallowed the lump in her throat and finished.

"She went into early labor… And… And…" She struggled as the tears arose again. "H-he looked so much like you Goku, so much… but Chi Chi…" she paused.

Goku wiped the tears from his cheeks before she continued on. "Chi Chi… her dreams were broken and her family was gone, the little boy was a constant reminder of that, she changed, she was depressed… I tried Goku, I was too late. Th-the next day when I came into her room to bring breakfast; she was… I didn't know she would do it…" Bulma closed her eyes and wept hard, she couldn't bring herself to picture it, to tell Goku. But she had to, he deserved to know.

"She's gone Goku…"


	5. The Home we built Together

**_Hello good fellows! I proudly present to you the last chapter in this story._** **** ** _I truly hope you enjoy!_**

 ** _BringingYaoiBack:_** **** ** _Yes, the Namek dragon balls are out of the picture in order to explore and write about how Goku would cope with his friends permanently gone, I'm glad you're enjoying so far!_**

 ** _((()))_**

 ** _SoroTheAndroid:_** **** ** _Yeah, it sucks I know, but it was a key part to Goku's hurt._**

 ** _((()))_**

 ** _Chichiken:_** **** ** _Thank you!_**

 ** _((()))_**

 ** _XxTerroKing23xX:_** **** ** _Again, my friend, thank you very much for your feedback! I'm really glad you saw and appreciated the subtle first step of switching the order his friends were buried in._** **** ** _As far as Goten goes, you'll have to wait and see, but your guesses are excellent and practically on point!_** **** ** _I'm truly glad to have you reviewing like you do!_**

 ** _((()))_**

 ** _Chapter 5_**

 ** _Now (Four and a half years after the death of Chi Chi)_**

The once pouring rain that turned into a light sprinkle ceased. Goku had finally looked up from between his knees after crying for some time; his eyes red and sore. The old man was patience and kind through the whole process, never once rushing the saiyan. As the clouds blew past and the trees began to hush, the end of the park began to seem like a milestone. The end would be a new beginning.

"So, what happened after that?" The man asked after seeing that Goku was in a talking state again.

"Well…" Goku began. "After I heard about Chi Chi I knew I could never set foot in our house again." The saiyan paused to wipe his nose with the end of his sleeve. "Bulma asked if I wanted my son… But I said no, I didn't want him to grow up with me for a father… I couldn't protect Gohan… How was I supposed to raise a child any better?"

The man nodded as he held his hand out. With a small smile Goku grasped it and stood up, stretching his arms out. He didn't regret not taking his son, he knew someday that the boy would get to know him.

"It was a good thing you left that boy out of your demons; it was the right thing to do."

Goku nodded in agreement.

"After." The saiyan began again. "After the incident I went to a friend of mine named Roshi, he let me stay at his beach home for the next few months. When Bulma found out…" Goku paused to reflect on the kindness she showed him. "She um… She bought me a home here on Amenbo Island where I've been for the last four years… I've been a wreck ever since."

The man smiled and gave a stretch as well, looking at the end of the path.

"It's time." He said.

Goku cocked his head in confusion. "Time for what?"

"Time to set things right, to right your wrongs. It's time for you to pick up the pieces and be a family again. You have a responsibility, and I think you need that boy as much as he needs you."

Goku smiled at the thought of having his son in his arms and showing him martial arts. Maybe the man was right; maybe it _was_ time to begin anew. After all he had a home and food on his table. He could be a great father if he worked at it.

"Yeah…" Goku agreed softly, wondering how things would pan out.

"Thank you very much, you saved my life and I don't even know your name."

The man gave a warm smile and put his hand on Goku's shoulder.

"Your welcome, I didn't mind at all; it was a life worth saving." The man motioned to the sky. Goku followed his motion and saw the stars in the sky. For a moment, for just a hand full of seconds, he could have sworn that he saw the stars dance.

"Wow…" Goku softly spoke. He looked down, feeling the hand slip off his shoulder. To the saiyans surprise the old man was gone. He had vanished into thin air, leaving nothing behind but a word carved into the bridge where he was standing.

 _HOPE_

Goku smiled and silently thanked the man again before leaving the park behind…

 ** _The next day_**

With the sun bright and a feeling of hope in his spirit, Goku got up and began preparing his house for the arrival of his son. He tidied up and did dishes; he even prepared a meal and set it out on the table for the two of them. It was going to be a new beginning. The final touch to the cozy home was new toys for the boy to play with. With a grin and a smile, and after hours of work, Goku took a deep breath and stepped outside, shutting the door behind him. This time Bulma would be glad to see him.

 ** _Capsule Corporation_**

Goku hadn't dressed this nice since the day he heard about Chi Chi. He really wanted to make a great first impression for his son. The sun was shining after the heavy rain and the wind softly blew the flowers that decorated the Breif's front entrance.

After a few raps on the door Goku stepped back and waited for it to open.

"Hello… Goku!" Bulma smiled as she opened the door. He hadn't seen him in a year.

"Hello Bulma, how are you?" Goku asked, remembering when she yelled at him for not greeting her. He didn't want to seem too eager.

"I'm fine, how about you?"

Goku rubbed the back of his unruly hair as he smiled.

"Better. I actually came about…"

Bulma slowly nodded as she looked him over. His depressing aura was gone and the circles under his eyes vanished. It seemed as though he had finally slept. He even added a suit to the mix.

"I see… Well I have to admit Goku, he has been asking a lot about you."

The saiyan looked down and scratched his head. He only hoped Bulma had said nice things about him.

"Well, I'm ready to raise him. Chi Chi would want that..." He said with mist in his eyes. The hard times were over, but he would still forever miss his beloved wife.

"Then come on in." She invited.

Goku walked in and sat down on the white couch, resisting the temptation to prop his feet up on the coffee table that sat in front of him. He was on his best behavior. It didn't take long before Bulma reappeared with a four and a half year old clinging to her leg.

"Goten, this is your daddy." She said cheerfully as she softly nudged the bashful boy to his father. Goten held his hands behind his back and shyly gazed downward.

"Hello." He said while bowing.

Goku smiled and held back tears. Bulma was right; he did look a lot like him. With a smiled Goku leaned over and looked at him.

"How old are you Goten?"

The boy looked up and counted the years on his fingers. "Four and a half."

Goku smiled. That was how old Gohan was when he was introduced to his friends at the Hermit home.

"Well Goten, how would you like to come live with me?"

The boy's eyes grew wide as his face flashed a smile. Bulma had seldom spoke ill of his father, telling many great stories about him.

"Would I!" He yelled as he ran up and sat next to Goku.

The saiyan was surprised at the boy's change in attitude. Apparently it didn't take him long to be comfortable around strangers. A glance up revealed a smile of acceptance on Bulma's face.

"So daddy… Why aren't you in orange?"

Goku gave a look of confusion. "What do you mean?"

Goten looked his dad up and down. "I mean Ms. Bulma told me you always wore orange and blue clothing with a turtle and Koi on it."

"A turtle and _Kai_ symbol." Bulma corrected.

Goten nodded and looked back to his father. "Yeah, turtle and Koi _symbol_." He added

Bulma gave a chuckle at Goten's misunderstanding; the boy clearly thought that Goku had a picture of a big Koi fish on his back.

Goku chuckled as well. "Well I thought I would dress up nice for the first time of meeting you."

Goten gave a huge smile. "Gosh! You didn't have too!"

Bulma couldn't help but smile as she watched Goku and Goten converse. She remembered long ago when she first met Gohan on the beach. Goten was a lot like him, but very different at the same time. For a while she thought that Goku would never get better, and that one day he would meet the same fate as his wife, but she was wrong. And for the first time, she was glad she wasn't right.

"Well I think it's time for you two to be off." She said. Goku nodded and took Goten's hand as they got up and walked through the door. Before taking off Goku turned around and looked Bulma in the eyes.

"Thank you."

She returned the smile and nodded, slowly closing the door as the two saiyans turned to leave.

Goku couldn't help but to think of Chi Chi and the house they built. As much as he appreciated Bulma's kindness, there was only one place he saw fit to raise his son despite him not setting foot there for four and a half years.

"Where are we going daddy?" Goten questioned.

Goku looked at him with newfound fondness.

"Home…"

 ** _Home_**

Goku had picked Goten up and set him on his shoulders. The boy was happy and excited at his father's enthusiasm. To make it even more fun, Goku took to the sky and began to fly. All Goten could do was gasp and chuckle as he laughed and laughed and smiled. Goku, seeing the delight in his small boy, laughed along cheerfully. In that moment all his worries, despair, pain, anger, hurt, loss, being alone, and negative self-worth dissipated. He had no idea that talking about all this to a stranger would make him feel a bit better. But he _really_ had no idea that his son would be his saving grace. In that moment of laughter Goku had regained his soul.

He had stopped grave walking…

After some time the duo finally arrived at the foot of the hill that their home rested on. Setting his son down gently, Goku held his hand as they ascended the hill; the sun setting behind it.

"This place is pretty!" Goten exclaimed.

Goku smiled at his son's acceptance of the place. "Yeah, I grew up here."

Goten's eyes sparkled at the thought of growing up where his dad did.

"So, what did Ms. Bulma tell you about me?" Goku finally asked. The question was burning inside of him.

"Well." The boy began. "She told me that you saved the Earth a long time ago from people called sayings… I mean saiyans!" He corrected, remembering some more. "She said you died saving us but that you came back with the dragon balls. Um… She also told me about a planet… Um…"

"Namek?" Goku helped.

Goten smiled and looked up to his dad with validation. "Yeah that's it! She said you went something called super saiyan. And after that you defeated a guy called Freezer."

Goten gave a sigh and looked down. Goku frowned as worry began to set in. What had Bulma told him about the fight with Cell?

"Ms. Bulma said that you also fought Cell real hard, but that you asked Gohan to fight too. She said that you tried but you weren't able to help your friends… or Gohan."

They reached the top of the hill as Goten let out a tear. The sun was setting, illuminating the place with oranges and yellows. The first thing Goten noticed was the gravestones.

"Is that them?" He asked. The boy was happy go lucky and innocent, but it appeared that growing up with Bulma made him smart for his age. He was no idiot.

"Yeah…" Goku answered. His pain began to come back and regret began to fill his heart, but before it could consume him Goten tugged at his sleeve.

"Dad…"

Goku knelt down and looked his son in the eyes. "Goten, Ms. Bulma was right. I wasn't able to help my friends or your brother, and I wanted to raise you… especially after your mom…" Goku paused, trying not to get choked up. "I understand if you don't want to stay with me or if you think differently about me…" The saiyan could feel loss all over again. He was about to lose the only joy he had felt in years.

As Goku let several tears roll down his cheeks the sunset illuminated them. Goten stared into his father's eyes and saw his pain. But to Goku's surprise, the boy gave a smile and jumped into his arms. The saiyan was shocked that this boy had so much love to give, and as he hugged his son he silently let out tears of joy and redemption.

When they had finished, they each wiped their cheeks and stood up.

"Let's go in shall we?" Goku invited. Goten smiled but stood stationary for a moment.

"Um Dad… Who's that?" He asked pointing to a tree that sat alone in the distance. Under it was a single gravestone.

Goku smiled and took his son's hand as they walked over to it, pausing before stepping where the body would have lain. On it was an inscription.

 _Chi Chi My Beloved Wife and a Beautiful Mother._

 _May you find peace in your next life and in my mistakes._

 _I Love you._

Goten read it and smiled. "It's nice." He complimented. Goku agreed. He had made it and put it there after hearing about Chi Chi's death. It was his last act of attempting to put the pieces together.

"Daddy, I'm hungry." Goten complained. The saiyan laughed at the mirror image of himself. He was a spitting image of his father, and his appetite was no exception.

"Well son, do you like fish?" Goku asked.

Goten gave a wide eyes smile and jumped up and down. "Yes! Yes!"

Goku smiled as he and Goten walked into the sunset and passed the house; father and son, each one entering a new chapter into their lives: A chapter of love.

"Goten." Goku spoke in a proud fatherly tone.

"I'm going to teach you how to fish."

 ** _((()))_**

 ** _I want to thank everyone for their support, favorites, follows, and review throughout this story. I really hope you enjoyed it from beginning to end, and I hope you enjoy my future FanFictions. As always, thank you very much!_**


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